ORGANISERS of Birmingham’s annual Pride weekend said this year’s parade will be the best in Britain.

The event, which last year attracted more than 90,000 revellers, is the UK’s biggest free gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community festival.

Organisers have promised a bigger and more colourful parade through the city to start the celebrations in and around Birmingham’s gay village on May 29 and 30.

It will be launched from Victoria Square at 11am followed by an official civic send-off at 12pm.

The procession will then head along New Street, Temple Street, Temple Row, Colmore Row, Bull Street and continue into the heart of the gay village, in Hurst Street Bromsgrove Street and Essex Street. Road closures will be in place with thousands of people expected to join in. A bigger main stage is being built but the acts are yet to be announced. Last year’s line-up starred Pixie Lott, X Factor’s Diana Vickers and S Club. The entertainment featured a village square, cabaret marquee, hundreds of stalls, bars, a dance tent and funfair.

Festival director Lawrence Barton said: “Anyone who came along to Pride last year will know what a fantastic weekend it was, what a great parade we had and how we brought Birmingham to life.

“This year we want it to be as good if not better. We’ve worked with Birmingham City Council to agree a new parade route, which builds on the success of last year and will be easily as good as Prides in London, Brighton and Manchester. We’ve also got a bigger main stage this year with acts yet to be announced.”

Birmingham Pride for 2010 is themed on equality through the decades and is being supported by Birmingham-based GB Training, Birmingham City Council, The Nightingale and clubs, bars and businesses in the village area.